


Grief

by abigail89



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Comfort, Grief/Mourning, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 03:31:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/706023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abigail89/pseuds/abigail89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Admirals Pike & Boyce listen to Leonard McCoy's necrology report and mourn with Jim & Leonard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grief

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_dala](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=the_dala).



> Written for the 2013 Valentine's Day Flash challenge at Jim_And_Bones. From a prompt by the_dala.

*~*  
 _Chief Medical Officer's log. Official necrological report for Incident number 2259 dash 29 dash 405. USS Enterprise._

_{sigh}_

_Number six: M'ent'let, Kara. Ensign. Betazoid. Earth age, 26. {sigh} Ensign M'ent'let was caught in heavy cross-fire on the planet M29 and was shot by a indigenous weapon that propelled 4mm round pieces of rock five times, according to the Captain's incident report. She was beamed aboard the Enterprise in the arms of Captain Kirk and was transported to Medical Bay where she was prepped immediately for surgery. I removed four of the stone pieces, from the abdomen, the thoracic cavity 2 mm from the lobe of the lower left lung, the upper left thigh. Bleeding was controlled, but was given two units of Blood replacement solution A-positive. The fifth and final stone was lodged in the cardiac sac, left ventricle, necessitating a full thoracic opening. {pause} Upon opening the patient's chest, I found extensive damage to her heart, the projectile {pause}, which was a 4mm round, 10 mm long barbed stone shard had ripped through the main arterial vein, pinning it into the ventricle. {pause} We placed patient on heart-bypass to remove the stone projectile but despite our efforts, {pause} the muscles surrounding the chamber had been shredded beyond repair and the arterial vein had sustained too much damage {pause}. Patient was not a candidate for an artificial heart. {pause} Patient died at 0825 hours._

_{pause} {sniff} Goddammit._

_“Bones.”_

_What? Goddammit, Jim._

_{whisper} “You did everything you could, Bones. Everything.”_

_Jesus, Jim. So much destruction. Why the hell didn't you pull out?_

_“I did. But we were surrounded all of a sudden and Scotty couldn't pull all of us out fast enough. I tried, Bones. I really did,”_

_{pause} I know you did, Jim. Read the report and saw the security vids. Sorry. I'm just—Jesus, it's been a long goddamn day._

_“I know. I'm—I'm on the edge here, Bones.”_

_{a sob}_

_{a sniff}_

_{42 seconds of silence}_

_I had just finished writing a recommendation for Kara for Starfleet med school. She passed her entrance exam two days ago with 90th percentile. She was so damn excited. She was a great med tech, but she really had a gift for diagnostic medicine. I was the one who talked her into applying. And now. . . .{pause}_

_{a sob}_

_“I know. I wrote a recommendation for her, too. She came to me yesterday to ask for possible reassignment. She apologized for wanting to leave the ship. {laugh}. She apologized for leaving her post. God, I want four hundred crew like her, Bones. Read your personnel records and I want four hundred just like her.”_

_She wasn't just a crew member, she was like one of my kids. All of these people on this boat, Jim, are our family-- Kara, and Robert O'Connor—did you know he was 54? Came out of retirement..._

_“I know. I hired him.”_

_And Taz T'alya—he was 89 in Andorian years, but he was in better shape than most of us. Died of a crushing chest wound._

_“I know.”_

_He had such a wicked sense of humor. Really liked him._

_“So did I.”_

_{pause} I couldn't save them, Jim. I'm sorry._

_{sob}_

_{31 seconds of silence}_

_“Come on, Bones. Come home with me. You need a shower and sleep.”_

_I've got to finish this report._

_“Bones, the report can wait. Tomorrow, I'll sit with you and write my letters to the families, and we'll drink to them. We'll drink to their memories and their bravery.”_

_{sigh} All right. Shit. I left the recording going._ [/end]

*~*

Stardate 2259.165 [One Earth-week later]

“Jesus. They went through hell,” says Phil Boyce, Head of Starfleet Medical, as he presses 'end' on his console. “I can't remember McCoy ever being that broken up.”

“Jim's report isn't much better,” says Chris Pike. “This hit him hard.”

Boyce takes a sip of his scotch. “Think it's time to scramble the crew?”

“No,” replies Pike emphatically. “Enterprise is a well-oiled machine. It's one of the best functioning crews in Starfleet. Jim has built a crew that is loyal to him and to each other. And that's hard to find today. I know they're having a tough time, but Jim's later reports will have him giving each of them the time to grieve and then they'll pick up the pieces and move on.”

“They find strength in grief.”

“And in each other. Just like we did, Phil. Just like every crew in Starfleet ever has. Crew members die, and captains and doctors can't change that. It's the law of the universe. And if they don't get it, then they don't survive and they leave. Jim and Leonard will survive, they'll take care of their crew, like they always have, and they'll be stronger for it.” Pike shakes his head.

“Thank God they have each other.”

“That's why they're together on that boat. That's why I convinced Spock to return to Starfleet, to balance those two out. The three of them together...well, you've read the reports. They're on track to make history.” Boyce inhales. “And no, Phil, I don't think about that. My place is here, at Command, to make sure no one in the Admiralty fucks that up. History is as it should be.”

Boyce raises his glass to Pike. “To history, then.”

Pike returns it. “To Enterprise with Jim Kirk as her captain. As it should be.”

They drink. “Let's make sure they get what they need,” Boyce says, picking up his PADD. “I think a shore leave for Enterprise crew will do them all some good.”

Pike smiles. “You're the doctor. Send me the request and I'll sign off.”

“Make sure there's a bottle of bourbon waiting for McCoy and Kirk,” Boyce says. “Doctor's orders.”

*~*


End file.
